Gunmen suspected to be Allied Democratic Forces /ADF rebels attacked and killed 37 students of Mpondwe Lhubiriha Secondary School in western Uganda in the district of Kasese on the 16th June 2023. The school is located in the Catholic diocese of Kasese under the Mbarara ecclesiastical province. It is alleged that an armed group has ties to Islamic state of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) that has been launching attacks for years from bases in volatile eastern DRC.
This was the deadliest attack in Uganda since twin bombings in Kampala capital in 2010 that killed 76 in an attack claimed by the Somalia-based al-Shabab group.
Some of the town council leaders say some of the students suffered fatal burns when the rebels set fire to a dormitory, others were shot or hacked to death with machetes.
The group, known as the Allied Democratic Forces, attacked the school on Friday night on the 16th June 2023 in Mpondwe, a town near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, a police spokesman said on Twitter. During the attack, a dormitory was burnt and food in a store was looted, that’s according to the police spokesperson, Fred Enanga. The students who were wounded were hospitalized in critical condition, and DNA was being made on some of the students who were burnt beyond recognition. Their samples were taken to Fort portal regional hospital a nearby government referral where the tastes were to be carried out.
Three people were rescued, but six students were abducted, a military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Felix Kulayigye, said in a statement. The attack, which began around 11:30 p.m. on Friday, was carried out by about five militants, the authorities said.
The ordinary Bishop of the Catholic diocese of Kasese asked the Christians and all people of God to be more vigilant and pray for peace to reign within the area. He added that for any improvement in development, there must be peace. Further prayed for the safe release of the students who had been abducted by the suspected rebels. END